The 19 northern state governments have intensified their search for oil and gas in the region with the appointment of a British firm to carry out the exploration activities.

This is coming about two weeks after President Muhammadu Buhari had directed the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to increase the tempo of the crude oil find in the North-East.

The Chairman, Northern Nigeria Development Company, owned by the 19 northern state governments, Mallam Bashir Dalhatu, said the company had commenced its prospects for oil and gas in the Lake Chad and Benue basins, using the services of the British company.

He stated this in Katsina when the company’s board and management called on the state governor, Aminu Masari, during their fact-finding visit to the state.

He said, “We have engaged a British company that is already working in the Lake Chad region and from Niger and Chad side in the same area with us and we have been meeting with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation in order to put efforts together..

“The Federal Government has also re-emphasised to us, during those meetings, its total support for exploration and exploitation of oil and gas in the North-East of the country,” he said.

The Group Managing Director, NNPC, Mr. Maikanti Baru, confirmed that exploration activities were going on in the frontier basin in Chad and in some areas close to the Kolmani River, located in Bauchi State, where Shell had made some indicative discovery of hydrocarbons.

Baru said that the NNPC was currently taking steps to re-strategise and get into those regions to step up crude oil exploration activities.